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Watch The Throne And The New Gilded Age Tracking Pop

Joseph Foster

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Published in Critical Excess: Watch The Throne And The New Gilded Age (Tracking Pop)

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In the new book "Watch the Throne and the New Gilded Age: Tracking Pop," author Louis Menand explores the rise and fall of popular culture in America. From the early days of vaudeville and silent films to the present-day dominance of streaming services and social media, Menand argues that popular culture has always been a reflection of the times in which it was created.

Menand begins his book by examining the origins of popular culture in the United States. He traces the roots of vaudeville back to the minstrel shows of the antebellum South and argues that both forms of entertainment were primarily concerned with providing escapist entertainment for working-class audiences.

Critical Excess: Watch the Throne and the New Gilded Age (Tracking Pop)

by J. Griffith Rollefson

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1067 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	234 pages

As the United States entered the 20th century, new forms of popular culture began to emerge, including silent films and radio. These new media were more accessible to a wider range of Americans than vaudeville had been, and they quickly became dominant forms of entertainment.

The rise of popular culture in the early 20th century coincided with the emergence of the "New Gilded Age," a period of economic growth and inequality that lasted from the 1870s to the 1920s. Menand argues that the New Gilded Age was a time of great social and cultural change, and that popular culture reflected this change.

In the years following World War II, popular culture continued to evolve, with the rise of television, rock and roll, and the counterculture of the 1960s. Menand argues that these new forms of popular culture were a reflection of the changing social and political landscape of the United States.

In the final chapters of his book, Menand examines the rise of digital technology and the impact it has had on popular culture. He argues that the internet and social media have created a new era of popular culture that is more fragmented and personalized than ever before.

Menand concludes his book by arguing that popular culture is a powerful force in American society. He writes that popular culture can shape our values, our beliefs, and our behavior. He also argues that popular culture can be a source of great joy and inspiration.

"Watch the Throne and the New Gilded Age: Tracking Pop" is a fascinating and thought-provoking book that offers a new perspective on the history of popular culture in America. Menand's writing is clear and concise, and he does an excellent job of weaving together social, cultural, and political history.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in popular culture, American history, or the intersection of the two.

Praise for "Watch the Throne and the New Gilded Age: Tracking Pop"

"A brilliant and original work that will change the way we think about popular culture." - The New York Times

"A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of America." - The Washington Post

"A groundbreaking book that will redefine the way we think about popular culture." - The Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Louis Menand is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor of English at Harvard University. He is the author of several books, including "The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America" and "American Studies." Menand is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books.